


~to know another's heartbeat~

by thesetemplebones



Category: The Last Kingdom (TV), The Warrior Chronicles | The Saxon Stories - Bernard Cornwell
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Light Angst, Mild Sexual Content, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:54:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24263191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesetemplebones/pseuds/thesetemplebones
Summary: "If Stiorra was going to marry, she was going to choose the man; not her father, not Finan or her brother, not even King Edward himself. She is her mother’s daughter after all."Or.... Stiorra finds herself developing feelings for a certain Dane
Relationships: Gisela/Uhtred of Bebbanburg, Sigtryggr Ivarsson/Stiorra, Stiorra/Sigtryggr
Comments: 14
Kudos: 81





	~to know another's heartbeat~

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Crazy times we're living in. I've nearly finished season 4 of The Last Kingdom and I am loving it so far!! Stiorra is exactly what I would expect as a daughter of Uhtred. 
> 
> Please enjoy this one-shot. (:

**T** he sun was just rising over the horizon and Stiorra watched as light chased away dark. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, breathing in the fresh morning dew and exhaled through her nose. She knew Sigtryggr would be awakening soon. She had no reason to rush with her morning prayers, he would not disturb her. Stiorra also used this time to be close to her mother, Gisela. When she was a girl she would join her during prayers to the Gods and Goddesses. 

Stiorra found herself thinking more about her mother these days than usual. As her emotions for her Dane companion changed and developed, she found herself  _ longing  _ for her mother. Eadith was her mother figure and she had come to love her dearly, but she was not Gisela. 

The sound of the horses nickering behind her, alerted Stiorra to the fact that Sigtryggr had awoken. It was then she noticed that the sun had risen quite a bit and it was now early morning, not too long after dawn. She knew that Sigtryggr would want to set off to meet up with his men as soon as possible but he would wait until she was done. Sigtryggr has treated her with such kindness that she has never known from a man and she was sure, from her memories that she could recall of her parents being together, that her mother felt the same way about her father.

She finished her prayers, sending a silent kiss to her mother, and joined Sigtryggr by their horses. She found him whispering softly in his horse’s ear and she smiled, walking over to her own beast. Stiorra kissed her horse’s forehead, then stepped off to the side closest to her companion to stroke her horse’s neck. 

“And how are the Gods this morning?”

Stiorra rolled her eyes, “I do not know. I only pray to them.” Every morning he asks the same question and every morning she gives the same reply.

He laughs softly and Stiorra feels her stomach flip, fluttering as though there were butterflies. 

“And your mother?”

Stiorra glances over her shoulder, he is looking at her softly with a kind smile, no malice or joking anywhere in his eyes  _ or his heart,  _ she hears her mother’s voice whisper to her. She returns Sigtryggr’s smile with one of her own, “she is well.”   
Sigtryggr gives a single nod before he mounts his stead. Stiorra watches as the sunlight catches the ginger weaved throughout his wild hair before she mounts her own horse, hiding her flushing cheeks before he sees. He offers her another wide smile before they take off.

* * *

As Stiorra traveled with Sigtryggr throughout the lands he had acquired from Edward in Wessex, numerous Kingdoms he claimed for him and his own, she learned more about the man. She began having battles within herself the more her feelings changed, formed for him. She knew the Gods had placed him in her path for a reason,  _ destiny is all,  _ as her father taught her. She remembers her mother describing her father as her fate and it's only now that she’s older has she begun to understand her reasoning.

One thing she came to know about the Dane from Ireland is that he truly cared for his men; a quality he shared with her father. It was why he was traveling throughout the land to the numerous Dane settlements that had begun to form. Sigtryggr still had desires to return to Ireland and get vengeance, Stiorra had heard of those desires. He also listened to the desires of his men and they were tired and healing from battle. 

‘My men deserve peace, time to grieve and rebuild’, Sigtryggr had told her once. ‘I need men with full hearts to be warriors.’  _ Full hearts.  _ He was so different from every other Dane Stiorra has known. 

When they stayed at a certain settlement, there was always a main hall and house for Sigtryggr when he came; another thing she admired about him was the loyalty he had of his own men. She was touched when she found that he had given her the privacy of her own bed lodges, always beside his own. It was during one of these stays that Stiorra was awakened by the cries of a man who sounded to be deeply wounded.

It took her only a moment to realize that Sigtryggr was having a night terror. She knew those cries, she had heard her father and the others; Finan, Sihtric and Osferth crying out in their sleep. She chewed on the corner of her bottom lip as she helplessly listened to the man just a wall away. Stiorra had terror dreams herself and she knew the cry for a lost loved one.

The air nipped at her bare feet as she walked across the furs to the wall that separated her and Sigtryggr. She leaned her forehead against the wall and placed her right palm against the cool wood. She whispered a silent prayer to Frig and then placed her lips against the wall. It wasn’t long after that Sigtryggr settled down. She knew that he had lost kin in Ireland and she wished she could soothe his pain, even if only for a little while.

Stiorra didn’t return to Coccham because she wanted to make her own choices in life. She didn’t want to wait for her father to marry her off to the man he thought was best for her. Yes he would take her feelings into consideration but it would not be  _ her  _ choice. There was a time when she did not want to belong to a man, to be a wife.

_ Wife.  _ Before Stiorra would cringe at the word and be quick to refute anyone who bestowed that title upon her. That was before Sigtryggr was brought into her life. She wondered if this is what her mother felt like when her father came into her life. If Stiorra was going to marry, she was going to choose the man; not her father, not Finan or her brother, not even King Edward himself. She is her mother’s daughter after all.

* * *

Stiorra had imagined what it would be like to lay with a man for the first time. In particular she had begun to have dreams about sharing her furs with Sigtryggr. She imagined that they would be in either of their rooms in one of the main halls that they visited, comforted behind settlement walls, when she decided to take him to bed. However, it would seem the Goddess Frigga would have other plans.

They were once again traveling through the lands, to another settlement of his people. She noticed that Sigtryggr had steered them in the direction toward Coccham and she didn’t argue. It had been a year and a half since they had been traveling Wessex and she did miss her father, and the others. She knew that Sigtryggr was also curious about how she grew up, he wanted to see where she came from. The sincerity of the man moved her. She had decided some time ago that he had claimed her heart, she just needed to be sure.

Storm clouds had rolled in just as the sun began to set and they both made their way to the nearby woods to take shelter. They had found a small cave beneath some rock formations that provided them shelter from the rain. They had just finished eating their dinner when the rain began to fall. Sigtryggr was able to keep the small fire going for some warmth as they silently listened to the rain and occasional thunder. The Gods were alive and well this night, the electricity and power in the air didn’t go unnoticed by Stiorra.

“I wish my mother were still alive so that you could meet her.”

Stiorra wasn’t sure why she said it, the words just poured from her mouth before she could stop. Sigtryggry couldn’t hide the surprise on his face and Stiorra didn’t blame him. She was surprised she spoke those words, but she did not regret them. 

“What was she like?”

She glanced over at the man and smiled, “warm. I remember my mother’s warmth. Her strength,” Stiorra looked to the ground, “even to her death. She was the strongest woman I know.” She didn’t want to cry so she was quick to shake her head, as though clearing the sad thoughts from her mind. She laughed softly, “my father says I resemble my mother greatly. I am her equal in likeness.”

“Then she was most beautiful,” Sigtryggy replied.

Stiorra could feel the flush creep along her cheeks and she looked over him. The sound of the rain was drowned out by the sound of her own heart under his stare. A warmth began to spread throughout her entire body and she was soon moving toward Sigtryggr. It was as though she were being pulled to him and she could no longer fight against it, not that she was ever fighting it before. Sigtryggr remained still but his eyes followed her every movement.

Stiorra sat upon her knees before Sigtryggr, allowing her a little height over the man. His stare was intent but gentle and she found herself staring back. She had never kissed a man before and she was nervous, especially since it was  _ him.  _ He had kissed many women before her. 

He must have sensed her nerves because he gave her a small smile and reached up with one of his hands to cup her cheek, brushing his thumb across her skin. She let out a sigh the moment his hand touched her, and she was quick to cover his hand with her own. His skin felt so cool against hers and she hadn’t realized her eyes had closed until she felt the press of his fingertips against the skin behind her ear. Stiorra didn’t kiss his lips first. She kissed along the furious red scar that ran along his brow and eye, the scar her father gave him. She could feel him let out an uneasy breath against her neck when her lips touched his skin and she was thrilled by it, a sensation completely new to the young woman.

When Stiorra pulled back slightly, she stared back at the man, seeing the desire and  _ warmth  _ swirling in his eyes. She placed her other hand that wasn’t covering his on her cheek, on his chest, feeling every beat his heart gave in his chest.

“It’s yours,” Sigtryggr whispered.

Stiorra pressed her lips against his and that was all it took for him to pull her onto his lap, his arms wrapping around her waist and her arms around his neck. The rain only continued to fall outside the cave as Stiorra finally gave into her heart’s desire.

__

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! (: please remain safe and healthy!!


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